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| Darroch versus Farage as Britain's ambassador to US: a comparison Darroch versus Farage as Britain's ambassador to US: a comparison | |
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| Kim Darroch | Kim Darroch |
| Most people outside international politics had not heard of Sir Kim Darroch until January this year, when he started in his post as British ambassador to the US. The diplomat was widely ridiculed and likened to a robot for posing awkwardly with Barack Obama during his first photo opportunity in the White House. While Obama grinned and placed his hand on Darroch’s back, the Briton stared blank-faced at the camera, arms hanging rigidly by his side. | Most people outside international politics had not heard of Sir Kim Darroch until January this year, when he started in his post as British ambassador to the US. The diplomat was widely ridiculed and likened to a robot for posing awkwardly with Barack Obama during his first photo opportunity in the White House. While Obama grinned and placed his hand on Darroch’s back, the Briton stared blank-faced at the camera, arms hanging rigidly by his side. |
| Honoured to present my credentials to @POTUS today as British Ambassador to the US. Excited to get to work! pic.twitter.com/1kk5tVjoiq | Honoured to present my credentials to @POTUS today as British Ambassador to the US. Excited to get to work! pic.twitter.com/1kk5tVjoiq |
| Thanks for the feedback everyone! All publicity welcome. And I promise I'm more excited about the new job than I look in that photo. | Thanks for the feedback everyone! All publicity welcome. And I promise I'm more excited about the new job than I look in that photo. |
| But Darroch is a veteran on the diplomatic stage, with a career that spans three decades. He served as David Cameron’s national security adviser from 2012 to 2015, acting as secretary of the National Security Council and leading on issues such as the rise of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Russian aggression in Ukraine, the nuclear threat from Iran and the collapse of government authority in Libya. | But Darroch is a veteran on the diplomatic stage, with a career that spans three decades. He served as David Cameron’s national security adviser from 2012 to 2015, acting as secretary of the National Security Council and leading on issues such as the rise of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Russian aggression in Ukraine, the nuclear threat from Iran and the collapse of government authority in Libya. |
| Prior to this, Darroch focused on European Union policy: he joined the Foreign Office in 1976 after graduation and was appointed to the Diplomatic Service in 1980. He served as EU adviser to the PM and head of the cabinet office European secretariat from 2004 to 2007, and in Brussels as the UK permanent representative to the EU from 2007 to 2011. This experience positioned him as a remainer during the EU referendum campaign, when he argued that the UK would be “stronger, safer, and better off in a reformed Europe”. | Prior to this, Darroch focused on European Union policy: he joined the Foreign Office in 1976 after graduation and was appointed to the Diplomatic Service in 1980. He served as EU adviser to the PM and head of the cabinet office European secretariat from 2004 to 2007, and in Brussels as the UK permanent representative to the EU from 2007 to 2011. This experience positioned him as a remainer during the EU referendum campaign, when he argued that the UK would be “stronger, safer, and better off in a reformed Europe”. |
| Darroch was born in the village of South Stanly in County Durham and attended the independent Abingdon school before studying zoology at Durham University. | Darroch was born in the village of South Stanly in County Durham and attended the independent Abingdon school before studying zoology at Durham University. |
| Most recently, he was accused by rightwingers of attempting to exploit Trump’s inexperience after a diplomatic memo he sent to No 10 following Trump’s victory was leaked. “The president-elect is above all an outsider and unknown quantity, whose campaign pronouncements may reveal his instincts, but will surely evolve and, particularly, be open to outside influence if pitched right,” the memo read. | Most recently, he was accused by rightwingers of attempting to exploit Trump’s inexperience after a diplomatic memo he sent to No 10 following Trump’s victory was leaked. “The president-elect is above all an outsider and unknown quantity, whose campaign pronouncements may reveal his instincts, but will surely evolve and, particularly, be open to outside influence if pitched right,” the memo read. |
| Nigel Farage | Nigel Farage |
| Nigel Farage has no diplomatic experience but worked hard to align himself with Trump during the US election campaign and even joined the president-elect at a rally in Jacksonville. Trump often compared his campaign to that behind the successful call for the UK to leave the EU, mentioning Farage in his speeches and referring to himself as “Mr Brexit”. Following Trump’s election, the two met again at Trump Tower in Manhattan, which is where this photo was taken: | Nigel Farage has no diplomatic experience but worked hard to align himself with Trump during the US election campaign and even joined the president-elect at a rally in Jacksonville. Trump often compared his campaign to that behind the successful call for the UK to leave the EU, mentioning Farage in his speeches and referring to himself as “Mr Brexit”. Following Trump’s election, the two met again at Trump Tower in Manhattan, which is where this photo was taken: |
| It was a great honour to spend time with @realDonaldTrump. He was relaxed and full of good ideas. I'm confident he will be a good President. pic.twitter.com/kx8cGRHYPQ | It was a great honour to spend time with @realDonaldTrump. He was relaxed and full of good ideas. I'm confident he will be a good President. pic.twitter.com/kx8cGRHYPQ |
| Many have deemed it somewhat peculiar for Farage to be thrust into the international spotlight as a model of success, having tried and failed seven times to become an MP, the last attempt taking place in South Thanet in the 2015 general election. But while he has never sat in Westminster, Farage was elected MEP for South East England in 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. | Many have deemed it somewhat peculiar for Farage to be thrust into the international spotlight as a model of success, having tried and failed seven times to become an MP, the last attempt taking place in South Thanet in the 2015 general election. But while he has never sat in Westminster, Farage was elected MEP for South East England in 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. |
| In the 2009 European parliamentary elections, under his leadership, Ukip won the second largest share of the vote, defeating Labour and the Liberal Democrats with more than 2 million votes. The party’s subsequent victory in 2014 marked the first time in modern history that neither Labour nor the Conservatives won an election held across the UK. | In the 2009 European parliamentary elections, under his leadership, Ukip won the second largest share of the vote, defeating Labour and the Liberal Democrats with more than 2 million votes. The party’s subsequent victory in 2014 marked the first time in modern history that neither Labour nor the Conservatives won an election held across the UK. |
| Farage left the Conservative party in 1992 after the signing of the Maastricht treaty and became a founding member of Ukip. He has served as leader of the party three times: from September 2006 to November 2009, then from November 2010 to September 2016, and, most recently, from October 2016. Each time he resigned something drew him back, whether it was because his party refused to accept his resignation or because the new leader stepped down. | Farage left the Conservative party in 1992 after the signing of the Maastricht treaty and became a founding member of Ukip. He has served as leader of the party three times: from September 2006 to November 2009, then from November 2010 to September 2016, and, most recently, from October 2016. Each time he resigned something drew him back, whether it was because his party refused to accept his resignation or because the new leader stepped down. |
| Farage was born in Downe, just outside London, and attended the independent Dulwich College, from where he went to work in the City at companies including Drexel Burnham Lambert, Crédit Lyonnais Rouse, Refco and Natexis Metals. | Farage was born in Downe, just outside London, and attended the independent Dulwich College, from where he went to work in the City at companies including Drexel Burnham Lambert, Crédit Lyonnais Rouse, Refco and Natexis Metals. |
| He was ranked second in the Daily Telegraph’s top 100 most influential rightwingers list in 2013, behind then prime minister David Cameron, and was named Briton of the year by the Times in 2014. This year, he was the receiver of the Spectator’s lifetime achievement award for his work in ensuring that a referendum on membership of the EU was finally held in Britain. | He was ranked second in the Daily Telegraph’s top 100 most influential rightwingers list in 2013, behind then prime minister David Cameron, and was named Briton of the year by the Times in 2014. This year, he was the receiver of the Spectator’s lifetime achievement award for his work in ensuring that a referendum on membership of the EU was finally held in Britain. |